Read More

Describing his near-death experience as like a “horror movie”, Samuel revealed it was just the start of a nightmare that has tested his “warrior” mentality to the limit.

During the operation in Uganda to wire his knee together, he claims the anaesthetic failed to work fully on him and he was aware of what was going on.

His mother, Sue Gray, flew to Uganda and back in a day to accompany him home. He had to pay £10,000 to fly back, needing extra space for his wounded leg.

Christian entrepreneur Samuel and Russell run the Leeds Group, based at Hilton Hall in Essington.

At the core of the business is Property Investors UK, a national training business teaching around 400 people a month how to become financially free through property investment strategies.

Samuel Leeds and his shattered knee

All the volunteers on the mission were successful investors trained through the firm’s academy. They had accompanied the brothers to see how their profits could also benefit people in need.

Back in Lichfield this week, Samuel recalled the moment he feared for his life.

“The boat capsized and we all got thrown down a big waterfall with rocks everywhere,” he said. “All of us had lifejackets and helmets on, but it was a life-threatening situation.

“The people from the rafting company said when they saw us fall, they thought there would be deaths.

“I was like a rag doll in the water, getting knocked around by rocks. When I plunged down the waterfall my knee smashed into a rock and I knew it was bad. I could feel it fizzing. I was very frightened, but also worried for my team as I felt responsible for them.

“People were screaming. Everybody got taken off separately. Anna and another team member, Alastair, were washed away.

Samuel Leeds white water rafting in Uganda

“They were underwater a lot of the time and getting drowned until Anna managed to grab a branch.

“Alastair went down another waterfall and was badly bruised. Then they got picked up by one of three rescue boats.

“It took 25 minutes to find everybody and another 20 minutes to locate Anna and Alastair.

“It was a ‘Thank God’ moment when we found them.”

The brothers were hauled on to one of the boats and it was clear Samuel had suffered a terrible injury.

Blood was pumping from the wound even though a rescuer had wrapped a bandage around his knee eight times.

“I could see my two bones were separated, but my priority was to get everybody rounded up,” he said. “I thought someone else could be injured worse than me.”

Despite being in severe pain, Samuel insisted on everyone going to hospital for a check-up.

They called a minibus taxi to take them to hospital, but due to the remoteness of the area it took several hours to get there.

Samuel spent the next seven days on his own in a hospital where patients were expected to organise their own food supplies.

“I couldn’t feel pain during the operation,” said Samuel. “But it was like a living nightmare.

“I was shouting, and seemed to be aware of everything. I started thinking about my wife Amanda back in Lichfield who is expecting our second child.”